Onward || Capt Neyes - Cmdr Ivanova

Posted on Sun Oct 6th, 2013 @ 7:02am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova

1,404 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Memorias Rotundum

Neyes’ hand depressed the key to chime Ivanova’s office on deck one. It was the first ship he’d served on where the first officer’s office was located to close to the bridge. It made sense though, and yet he still couldn’t shake the feeling of unfamiliarity at it being so close to his own office. The stroll from one to the other was less than a minute, and he imagined having more time to collate and collect his thoughts before speaking to his first officer.
I guess my razor-sharp wit will have to suffice, he sarcastically mused in silence.

“Hello, Partner,” Landon said, entering her domain. He took a seat on the far side of the room beneath the large windows looking out at Earth. The stay at the spacedock had been a welcome reprieve after they’d been beaten within an inch of their lives. Already he could sense a calming air and relaxed energy among the crew; simply being in sight of the blue marble appealed to their love of home. Being the first officer, however, Rochelle would have been buried in paperwork and reports. He wanted to get a feel for her and where she was at, meetings and work aside. “You have a minute? I’ve been meaning to steal a word, but... It’s a big ship, we’re busy people.”

Darkness was, once upon a time ago, a comfort to Rochelle Ivanova -- now it served more as fodder for nightmares and savagery. Still, with a migraine beginning to bud in the softness of her temples, the young officer chose to keep the lights as dim as possible while she worked. The stars and Earth lit the room with an ethereal glow that seemed to satisfy and placate the woman's needs. This was home. The rest of the crew could be damned as they walked through her doors -- and one of them did indeed do just that.

“Have you left Vindicator since we docked?” Landon asked pointedly, but with a light heart.

"Nope, I sure haven't. Been too busy wrapping up here." She answered, honestly if not a bit sheepishly. It seemed silly to keep herself cooped up on the ship instead of enjoying the comforts of the world. "Have you?"

Neyes smiled, looking away, “I did manage it, yes. Grabbed a bite to eat and saw an old friend. You really should make an effort to escape your-,” his eyes grazed over the cool darkness she had created, “…your ‘lair’.” He smiled, the youthfully fine lines around his eyes displacing a few spots.

"But I like my lair. It has a rather cozy view, don't you think?" She grinned brightly, leaning deep into her chair and pushing away from her desk in order to find her feet and head towards the window that framed, so perfectly, the glowing orb of Earth. "I suppose I could try and tug a friend away from the Academy. I'm sure teaching has bored her to tears by now..." She shrugged gently.

Standing to approach the replicator, Landon redirected their exchange, “I was contacted by an Intelligence Director. Or, I suppose, the Intelligence Director. He wants us to follow along with the Crazy Horse on a mission into Cardassian controlled space. To a planet they annexed from Federation space more than two years ago, called ‘Carida’. And… by annexed, I mean they lit the place up like a campfire. Are you familiar?”

Rochelle turned, listening to the muffled sound of his footsteps over the floor as he made his way towards the replicator. "Vaguely." She responded, one thin red eyebrow arching a degree or two higher. "I feel like you have a good story to tell about this place. It almost has personal written all over it." The little monster teased gently, Carida was more than just a legend. It was, in a way, it's own brand of nightmare.

"It's where the Intrepid was when my friend and I were stationed on the Intrepid-D, before it was destroyed. After a scuttling diplomatic scenario and sudden attack by Cardassians, much like this attack on Earth, we were forced to withdraw from the space, and surrender it. Colonists were left behind, and so was Rob. I'm thankful he's not going to be there, because let's be honest. He's got baggage.

"I just need to know you'll be up for... keeping me in check." He added.

She mused over his words, rolling them through her mind like a fine mulled wine. They were sweet and yet held such dry bitterness -- a respite for which she had all too fond a taste for. "I can do that." She nodded, studying the man in the moonlit darkness with eyes of starlight. He was human. To err was human. To feel was human -- and feel Landon Neyes most certainly did beneath that interesting exterior that had been sauced over and glazed by a quick wit. "I warn you, though, you may find it to be a bit of a pinch collar. One of us needs to appear in control. It may as well be you."

Neyes could sense the faltering confidence in his words. It was one thing to admit he had felt a surge of blood-lust while defending the ship from Romulans, but now... Cardassians and Carida, he was more afraid of losing perspective.

"In the exchange with the Romulans... I felt like protecting us meant destroying them, at least when it came to the end. Now, I'm going to have a more personal 'investment' in the condition. With things the way they are, the Vindicator is the best ship to back up Commander Agron and the Crazy Horse, so we're- ...I'm glued to this mission."

To this sentiment the savage little beast smiled, bemused. She released the small breath she'd gathered and stepped away from the comfort the window had offered, her eyes and girlish face once more concealed by the shroud of darkness she so feared... and loved. "You felt that way, Captain, because that's the way it was. That's the way it will always be." Rochelle answered, coming to rest an intrepid foot or so from the man, their height difference so drastically apparent. She the song bird to his bird of prey. "*WE* are glued to this mission." She corrected.

Shrike. Noun. A carnivorous and often brutal little bird with a melodiously sweet song. It would seem even the littlest things these worlds had to offer could be so very sharp, pointed and downright deadly. The accuracy of her barbed words were meant, however, to compel, comfort and inspire. If it had been within her code, she'd likely have taken his hand for a brief squeeze -- but such a thing would have been a faux pas against her very being.

"Us or them?" He said aloud, more for himself than anything else. The idea was not compelling, for he had never been one to hinge his thoughts on ideals of black or white. Things were sometimes gray, and he would never forget it. "No, we'll find our handle on this whole mess. Maybe not today, maybe not in the next hundred years, but someday I think we will. I'd like to think we won't destroy each other trying, though. I won't give up on that."

"It's always going to be us or them, it's a game of risk we play every time we engage anyone." The redhead replied. Certainly, life was filled with shades of gray to sugar coat the black and white -- bring some levity -- but those shades were often transparent and all too easy to forget. "But you're right. We will and I too hope for a surprising lack of casualties in the process." She nodded, affirming their thoughts.


"We're going to depart in the next hour or so to rendezvous with the Crazy Horse, who jumped ahead of us. Ready the crew." He said, a smile creeping up on him. "We have a colony to investigate."

Like the cold breath of winter, his words woke the quiet Commander up. She snapped him an almost playful salute as she stepped away from him, heading back around the imposing surface of her desk. "Aye aye, Captain." Rochelle smiled.

Onward... To another adventure.


=/\= END LOG =/\=

Captain Landon Neyes
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR

Commander Rochelle Ivanova
Executive Officer
USS VINDICATOR

 

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